The bill, which expires every five years, was supposed to expire in 2023, but legislators extended the initial bill made in 2018.
Congress’s most recent farm bill expired on Sept. 30. The bill, which expires every five years, was supposed to expire in 2023 but legislators extended the initial bill made in 2018.
The bill impacts things like crop insurance, conservation and commodity programs. However, about three-fourths of the law also funds nutrition assistance, including SNAP. Over 2 million people in Iowa and Illinois use the food assistance program.
SNAP will continue to receive funding despite the bill’s expiration due to permanent laws and the continuing resolution passed by Congress.
Programs impacting the dairy industry would revert to laws from the 1940s if not tackled before January. Ryan Whitehouse with the Illinois Farm Bureau said corn and soybean farmers don’t need to be filled with worry if a weather disaster strikes.
“Fortunately, crop insurance is a permanent expenditure so it will still be carried out,” he said. But that doesn’t mean the work isn’t done. “We are working on a 2018 farm bill in a 2014 farm economy. So we do need some upgrades and updates to the safety net within crop insurance to make sure it meets the times of today.”
Whitehouse said although farmers won’t see an immediate impact, the group is still pushing for a new bill.
“Elections play a major part in everything, right,” he said. Whitehouse added he hopes movement will happen after the election and before action must take place.
“I think farmers should always be optimistic that Congress is going to come through and try to do something right,” he said. “Agriculture is really nonpartisan. Everyone wants to eat and everyone has to eat.”
The University of Illinois’ Farm Doc reports although crop insurance and SNAP funding are permanent, 21 programs are no longer receiving money because of the expiration. 2008 was the last time a farm bill expired without an immediate extension.
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